Green councillors Marieanne Elliot and Bernard Little welcome a new task group looking at biodiversity and call for partners.
Wednesday 12th July saw the first meeting of the task group that Cllr Elliot established under authority of the council’s Communities, Parks and Leisure Policy Committee. The task group will look at nature recovery and improving biodiversity.
Speaking after the first meeting, Cllr Elliot said,
“Now we have got this task group underway, we invite organisations working on nature recovery in Sheffield to get in touch if they would like to participate.”
“The Council declared a Nature Emergency in June 2021. We know that many species are in decline and we need to take a holistic approach to environmental land management if we are serious about nature recovery in Sheffield.
“Sheffield’s ecology is hugely varied and highly important for people’s well being, tourism, a viable environment and for a secure future.
“We have a wealth of knowledge and experience in Sheffield to draw on; numerous nature- focused organisations and a long standing history of excellent city ecologists.
“Our ecologists are experts in their field and their work is highly valued. Over the last few years they have been working with partners to map Sheffield’s natural capital and ecosystems to highlight areas of high biodiversity potential. Their work has contributed to a regional mapping project and South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority have recently been granted £241,265 to progress with a Local Nature Recovery Strategy. This is very welcome news.”
Cllr Bernard Little added,
“The Group will engage with key groups in the city, such as The Sheffield and Rotherham Wildlife Trust and the Green Spaces Forum with its over 100 Friends of Groups and the nationwide “People’s Plan for Nature.
“The challenge is to reverse the loss of 30 million birds have been lost and around two-thirds of our insects in the last 50 years.
“For Sheffield to be a Green City, we have to learn to live as part of nature, not apart from it.”
REFERENCES
1. The membership of the group is 2 councillors from each of the Green, Labour and LibDem groups.
2. At its first meeting, LibDem and Labour councillors voted together to appoint a Labour councillor to chair the group. The Deputy Chair is a Green councillor.
3. The group meets in private and will report to the Communities, Parks and Leisure Committee in due course.
